A signaling device of this type is known from the prior art. In this case, the control device has a first output, to which the first signaling illuminant is coupled, and a second output, to which the second signaling illuminant is coupled, such that the two signaling illuminants are operated in parallel.
By way of example, a motion sensor for detecting motion, a phototransistor for detecting an ambient brightness and/or an IR (infrared) signal receiving device can be coupled to the information input. Sensor devices constitute the combination of a signaling device of this type and so-called sensor auxiliary devices and/or an IR signal receiving device, said sensor devices being used for example in lighting control systems with a plurality of distributed measurement locations. A plurality of such sensor devices are then preferably coupled to a superordinate central control device, wherein said superordinate central control device comprises a power supply unit, which also supplies the connected sensor devices. Instead of an IR signal receiving device, it is also possible to use other devices for feeding information into the signaling device, for example a DALT transmitting device. Generally, the information fed in can be used for the configuration of the lighting control system, for example the brightness value starting from which lighting devices are intended to be switched on or how long after motion has been detected a lighting device is intended to remain in the switched-on state.
The respective signaling device of the corresponding sensor device is used to give the user optical feedback, that is to say whether or not the configuration process was completed successfully. In this respect, a sensor device of this type need not comprise a dedicated IR transmitting device or a DALI transmitting device.
The known manner of operation of the two signaling illuminants results in an undesirably high energy consumption. This disadvantage becomes particularly significant if it is recalled that up to four sensor devices of this type are used at a superordinate central control device for a lighting system.
DE 101 03 611 A1 discloses a circuit arrangement for operating a plurality of illuminants. In this case, for their power supply all the illuminants are connected to a power source in a series. In order to switch off an illuminant, the latter is short-circuited by means of a bridging element. The illuminants presented therein serve for lighting rather than signaling. Moreover, the implementation is extremely complex since potential-free switching of each illuminant has to be ensured by complex measures.